Armor-cutting pliers



June 3, 1930. B; F 1NDSTR0M 1,761,446

ARMOR CUTTING PLIERS Filed Mayy lO, 192.7

ATTORNEY A Patented June 3, 1930 PATENT OFFICE BERNHARD LINDSTROM, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK ABMQR-CUTTING PLIERS .Application :tiled May 10,

This invention relates to tools and has specialv reference to cutting tools for electricians.

Such and other mechanics working with what is known as B. X. electric wire tubing or conduits frequently find it desirable to open thel metallic covering for the connection of branch wires and other like purposes butitfis not desirable that the rubber or other 10 insulation of the wire contained in the tubing should be injured. Heretofore such conduits have been usually opened by cutting through the same with a cold chisel or saw, it being understood that B. X. tubing is 15 formed from a spirally wound strip of metal. This naturally injures the insulation even if Yit does not cut through the insulation and Wire as frequently happens.

. The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel form of tongs or pliers especially adapted for use in longitudinall slitting such metallic insulation as B. X. tu ing and the like without in any way injuring the insulation or wire within ,such tubing. f

'With the above and other objects in view ,as will be hereinafter ap arent, the invention consists in general o certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated 1n the accompanying drawings' and specifically claimed.

.In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pair of pliers showing the same in use for rcutting an armored conduit or tubing.

Figure 2, is a plan view of what. may be` Ytfirmed the cutter member of the pliers.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the other member of the pliers.

Figure 4 is a detail'section on the line 4-1 ofFigure 1.

Figure 5 isl an enlarged fragmentary side elevation ofthe lower adjustable jaw shown in Fig. 1; and

Figure 6 isl a planof the jaw shown inv Fi e5.

n carrying out thisinvention there is pro- 1927. Serial No. 190,298.

vided a pair of members 10 and 11 each of which has a handle portion 12 and these members are pivoted together by means of a pivot 13. The member 10 is provided with a jaw 14 having a slot 15 extending vtherethrough vertically and inclined away from the pivot 1'3 at its upper end. This slot is open at one side as at 16 so that the wire tubing W may be slipped through the opening 16 and lie in the slot 15 in an inclined position resting against the front wall of the slot. To the rear or pivot side of the opening 16 the jaw is rabbeted as at 17 and in this rabloeted portion is slidably mounted a cutter blade 18 which is locked in adjusted position by a screw 19. This cutter blade has its forward lower edge sharpened as at 2O and is provided with a pointed and sharpened lower corner 21 at the forward end of the sharpened portion 2O so that this corner will engage the side of the wire conduit W adjacent the pivot. 13.

Similarly, the other jaw is provided with a slot 22 open on the same side as the slot 15 and the wire tubing, when ready for cutting, rests in this slot also. The slot 22 forms a continuation of the slot 15 and is disposed at the same angle as-the slot 15 at the time the cutting operation is begun. This jaw 23 is also provided witha sharpened portion 24 cooperating with the sharpened portion to constitute an ordinary wire cutter.

While the jaws may both be made without adjustment if desired, the lower jaw is preferably made adjustable as shown to best advantage in Figures 5 and 6. From these views it will be perceived that the jaw 23 has its opening-22 provided with an inclined flat outer `face 25l perpendicular to which is a socket 26 which receives the hollow shank 27 of a movable jaw piece 28 having a concave gripping facey 29 knurled or corrugated to prevent slipping 'of the armored wire conduit. A recess 30 is formedl in the underside of the jaw 23 and receives the head of an adjusting screw 31 which is threaded into the shank 27 so'that by rotating this screw the aw piece 2 8 may be adjusted to properly support whatever size armored conduit it. is desired toy particular size of the pliers. y By reference to Figure 1 it will be seen I that when the jaws are opened and the wire the armor of said conduit, means to support conduit inserted the point 2l will engage the armor of the saw conduit and by bringing the handles 12 together thecutter 18 will cut through the armor in a longitudinal direction and without injury to the insulated wire within the conduit since as soon as the armor is" cut through the cutting operation is stopped. The pliers may then be detached from the armor conduit and the armor unwound to expose the insulation within and enable any manipulation thereof to be made as desired.

There has thus been provided asimple and eflicient device of thekind described and for the purposespecifie'd.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, therefore, de-A sired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come` Within the scope claimed. Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. In combination, pliers having a pair of pivotally connected jaws each having a slot extending through the respective jaw transversely thereof, said slots being alined and open each -on one side to permit entry of an armor conduit into the slots, and a cutter blade carried by one jaw to lmove longitudinally of the armor conduit and positioned to cut into the armor of said conduit.

2.In combination, pliers having a pair of pivotally connected jaws each having a slot extending through the respective jaw transversely thereof, said slots being alined and open each on one side to permit entry of an armor `conduit into the slots, a cutter blade carried by one jaw to move longitudinally of the armor conduit and positioned to cut into said blade adjustably on its jaw, and means to secure the blade in adjusted position.

3. In combination, pliers having a pair of pivotally connected jaws each having .a slot extending through the respective jaw transversely thereof, said slots being alined and open each on one side to permit entry of an armor conduit into the slots, and a cutter blade carried by one jaw to move longitudinallyv of the armor conduit and positioned to cut into the armor of said conduit,

said slots being inclined, with the slot in the blade carrying jaw more remote from the pivot ,than the slot -in the other jaw.

4. In combination, pliers having a pair of pivotally connected jaws each having a slot extending through the respective jaw transversely thereof, said slots beingalined and open each on one side to permit entry of an armor conduit into the slots, a cutter blade carried by onejaw to move longitudinally of the conduit and positioned to cut into the conduit, said slots being inclined, with the slot in the blade carrying jaw more remote from the pivot than the slot in the other jaw, means to support said blade adjustably on its j aw, and means to secure the blade in adjusted position. j

5. In combination, pliers having a pair of pivotally connected jaws each having a slot extending through the respective jaw in the plane of movements of the jaw, said slots being alined and open each on one side to permit entry of an armor conduit into the slots, a cutter bladecarried by one jaw to move longitudinally of the armor conduit and positioned to cut into the armor of said conduit, said slots beingvinclined, with the slot 1n the blade carrying jaw more remote from the pivot than the slot in the other jaw, the second jaw having a movable jaw piece formingv pivotally connected jaws each having a slot extending through the respective .j aw in the plane of movement of the jaw, said slots being alined and open each on one side to permit entry of an armor condult into the slots, a cutter blade carried by one jaw to move longitudinally of the armor conduit and positioned to cut into the armor of sald conduit, said slots being inclined, withthe slot 1n the blade carrying jaw more remote from the pivot than the slot in the other jaw, means to support said blade adjustable on lts jaw, means to secure the blade in adjusted position, the second jaw having a movable jaw 

